Petition for Fire and Emergency NZ inquiry delivered to Parliament
Thursday 24 September 2026 · 2 outlets · 2 reports · updated In this story Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Labour Party, National Party, Green Party, New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union
Firefighters gathered at Parliament on Wednesday to deliver a petition with 52,000 signatures. The petition calls for an investigation into how Fire and Emergency NZ manages its annual funding of over $800m. The union is seeking immediate leadership changes following reports of mismanagement and misleading Parliament.
Key facts
5 facts
- Petition contains over 52,000 signatures
- FENZ receives more than $800 million in annual funding
- The union has held 64 strikes in two years
- A select committee previously found unacceptable delays in rolling out new appliances
- A select committee report found FENZ misled Parliament regarding the purchase of 30 new fire trucks
The full story
1 min read · 2 outlets
Firefighters gathered at Parliament on Wednesday to deliver a petition with more than 52,000 signatures demanding an inquiry into Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). The New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union started the petition to investigate how the organisation manages its annual funding of over $800 million. This protest occurred during ongoing one-hour strikes, which mark the union's 64th strike in two years.
The petition was handed to Select Committee members just before 12:30pm by a large group including personnel from Palmerston North and the Manawatū. Union national secretary Wattie Watson stated that while she appreciated political pledges, an inquiry cannot wait until after the election. Watson said, "We're really disappointed that there has been such an outcry across the political spectrum about FENZ's conduct, and in particular the chief executive's".
Political responses to the petition have varied. National has proposed a three-point plan to make FENZ a government department accountable to the Minister for Emergency Management and suggested removing the FENZ board. Labour has pledged to conduct a full inquiry into FENZ's funding and operations if elected. The Green Party has also committed to a full inquiry and has lobbied for FENZ to move from the Department of Internal Affairs to an emergency response umbrella.
Where reports differ
- The number of signatures is reported as more than 52,000 in one report and more than 50,000 in another
Compiled from reports by The Post and Otago Daily Times.
